According to the National Hole-In-One Registry, only 1-2 percent of golfers record an ace throughout the calendar year.  I am supremely confident that this percentage plummets for the number of golfers who record a hole-in-one in back-to-back seasons.

Owatonna sophomore boy’s golfer Grady Roush did just that.

On May 19, 2024, Roush recorded his first-ever ace at Brooktree Golf Course in Owatonna.  He took just one swing to hole out on No. 15 using a mere 9-iron.  Roush recalls the par-3 fifteenth hole playing at approximately 155 yards that Spring Day when he made the miraculous shot with his dad and his father’s best friend Shane.  “I remember hitting it and watching it roll in after a couple of bounces,” Roush said.  “It was a calm and cloudy day and I remember jumping and screaming and the people noticing what had happened on the tee box behind the green.”

Fast forward almost exactly one year later to May 12, 2025 – Roush struck gold yet again.  This time, the ace happened outside of the city limits and on a much larger stage – an Owatonna High School match at The Jewel Golf Club in Lake City, Minn.

Ironically, Roush’s second hole out just one month ago happened on the fifteenth hole as well.  This par-3 was playing at 204 yards, and Roush utilized a 6-iron to drain his second ace in as many seasons.  “I had started the day a little rough and was sitting at roughly seven or eight over par heading into this hole,” Roush said.

Roush was paired with players from Faribault and Chatfield during the May meet and recalls how things unfolded that day.  “I remember hitting my shot with a bit of a draw and was expecting to find it a little long and left,” Roush said.  “As I approached the green, I saw a ball on the back left fringe and thought it was mine. 

“The head coach from Byron let me know that this ball was not mine. He motioned toward the hole, and I checked it and it was mine,” Roush continued.  After receiving a bear hug from Owatonna boys first year head coach Josh Woodrich, Roush attempted to calm his nerves for the final stretch of holes – but recalls how that was just not feasible. 

“I was shaking and jittery after that hole and think I lost two balls in the next three holes,” Roush said.

I have made two hole-in-ones in my golfing career and can relate to Roush’s inability to recapture focus and composure on the closing holes.  As an amateur, it takes a truly special athlete to be able to instantly calm your nerves after accomplishing a highly improbably feat, such as this.  Making an ace in a round with family and friends is special.  However, having a hole-in-one during a varsity match at the high school stage is extraordinarily rare – almost unheard of in Owatonna history.

In addition to Roush’s ace, his other season highlight was posting a sub-80 round (79) at the first day of section tournament play at none other than The Jewel Golf Club.  He also carded a round of 79 at Northfield this season.  In 2022, Roush recalled carding a 104 at the same course in Northfield.  My Owatonna math tells me that this was a 25-shot improvement in just three seasons.

In addition to golf, Roush also excels in hockey, where he was named the Dudley Otto most improved player as a sophomore (and will serve as one of the captains during the 2025-2026 season as just a junior).  Roush plans to play a fair number of Junior PGA events this summer, including tournaments at Owatonna Country Club, Brooktree, Albert Lea and Rochester.

Roush just recently picked up golf in 2020 and started playing competitively in 2022.  Given the marked improvement in just a few short seasons, I think we can expect big things in Roush’s final two years of eligibility, both on the ice and links.

Until next month, hit ‘em long and straight – and most of all have fun!